Referring to FIG. 1A (PRIOR ART), there is a schematic of a traditional glass sampling apparatus 100 configured to obtain a glass sample 102 from molten glass 104 within a glass melting vessel 106. The traditional glass sampling apparatus 100 includes a sampling rod 108 that has a first end 110 and a second end 112. The sampling rod 108 is typically two or three feet long and is usually made from quartz. In operation, the user picks an area in the glass melting vessel 106 where they want to obtain the glass sample 102 and then inserts the sampling rod's second end 112 into the selected area of molten glass 104. Basically, the user pushes the sampling rod's second end 112 into the molten glass 104 and then waits to let the glass settle around the second end 112. Then, the user pulls the sampling rod 108 with the glass sample 102 hopefully located thereon up and out from the molten glass 104.
Referring to FIG. 1B (PRIOR ART), there is a photo of two glass samples 102a and 102b obtained from a level probe standpipe in a glass manufacturing system by using the traditional glass sampling apparatus 100. The glass samples 102a and 102b were obtained to determine the glass quality in the level probe standpipe. Unfortunately, the small size of the glass samples 102a and 102b which together had a total weight of 2 grams and their irregular shapes made it very difficult to determine if any defects were present in the glass. Thus, it was not possible to use the glass samples 102a and 102b to estimate the total inclusion level in the system. Accordingly, there is and has been a need to overcome this shortcoming and other shortcomings in order to obtain suitable glass samples from the level probe standpipe or any type of glass melting vessel. This need and other needs have been satisfied by the glass sampling apparatus and method of the present invention.